Surveillance and military style weaponry expanded into the field of infrared detection and homing some time ago. Since then numerous developments have occurred that have progressed the state of the art to a level of complexity and effectiveness which substantially assures reliable hardware. The effectiveness of the hardware for its intended purpose is now to a large extent determined by the operator. Accordingly, thorough training is important.
For training, the more complete the simulation is of the actual operating environment, the more realistic and thorough the training procedure can be. If field conditions will be encountered in using the hardware, field-like conditions are desirable for training. If infrared surveillance is an element of operation, infrared sources that simulate the infrared signatures of the objects to be anticipated are required.
Practices in the past have employed infrared sources that range from the object itself to pyrotechnic devices. Up to now there has been no way to both economically and accurately imitate the thermal signature gradients of the object source. The present invention fills the need. Further, the present invention provides a technique that can be economically used to create excellent targets which are rugged and transportable.
Within the field of the invention are elaborate systems employing cooperating elements in both the object and the surveillance station. Most often one of the elements is a modification within a weapon located at the station. At times the object is presented as only an image projected on a screen. Thus, the environment is strictly controlled, the weapon is not meant to be actually fired, and realism suffers. Likewise, when the target is actually deployed, its value typically precludes permitting it to be destroyed, so simulation at the weapon end must be attempted. In these cases, lasers with cooperating hit or miss indicators are used.
When trainees must experience actually firing the weapon, worthless carcasses of trucks, and the like, have been heated and used. But the supply of such targets is limited. And, realism is seldom complete. For example, if one is attempting to simulate the infrared signature of an operating truck, a truck bed with engine and tires removed does not appear as a duplicate. In addition, attempts with more maneuverable structures, such as trash receptacles and plywood silhouettes, have been equally unsuccessful, even when heated by simple and ingenious means such as charcoal or hot water bottles. In the case of personnel, there has been no previous technique for imitating the thermal signature of a man.
The present invention dramatically improves the state of the art by providing an easily implemented, low cost, portable imitator of infrared sources. The invention permits the construction of rugged and expendable targets that accurately simulate the infrared signature of any selected object. In accordance with the invention, targets can be constructed for military training by the user activity at the training facility, targets that are remarkably realistic and simple of design and construction.